Unwinnable FreeCell Games: The Truth Behind #11982

FAQs

• Are there any truly unwinnable FreeCell games?

  

  Yes, truly unwinnable FreeCell games do exist, but they are extremely rare. Game #11982 is the most famous example from Microsoft's original 32,000 deals, where no legal sequence of moves can build all four foundation suits from ace to king. Large-scale computer tests on billions of random deals show only about 1 in 84,000 is unsolvable, meaning 99.999% can be won with perfect play.​

• Why is the FreeCell game #11982 famous?

  

  FreeCell game #11982 gained fame as the only unwinnable deal in the original 32,000 Microsoft Windows FreeCell games, from versions 3.1 to XP. Players assumed all deals were solvable since the game claimed 100% winnability, so repeated failures led to myths and frustration. It became an online legend, with forums and videos debating it for decades until solvers proved its impossibility due to trapped aces.​

• Has FreeCell #11982 been solved?

  

  No, FreeCell #11982 has never been solved and remains proven unwinnable by modern computer solvers. Tools like FreeCell Pro, fc-solve, and others exhaustively search billions of possible move states and find no path to victory. Improvements in algorithms and computing power since the 1990s only confirm early findings, key aces in clubs and spades can't both be freed legally.​

• What is the 99,999 FreeCell myth?

  

  The 99,999 FreeCell myth stems from a misconception that nearly all games are winnable, with #99,999 wrongly labeled impossible like #11982. It arose from early Windows expansions to 1 million deals, where only 8 were unsolvable. Don Woods' 1994 study of 1 million random deals found just 14 unwinnable (99.9996% solvable), debunking ideas of widespread impossibles; Microsoft's fixed seeds hid the rarity.​

• Why does FreeCell feel harder than other solitaire games?

  

  FreeCell feels harder because all 52 cards are visible from the start, leaving no room for luck, every loss comes from imperfect play or true unwinnability. Games like Klondike Solitaire have hidden draw piles, giving about 81% solvability with luck helping thoughtful play. FreeCell demands perfect long-term planning, supermoves, and free cell management, making it a pure skill test that punishes small errors harshly.